カテゴリー: MBA News

MBA入学審査の考え方　A Holistic MBA Application Evaluation

5/6に開催されました 「MBA留学準備の明暗セミナー」に多くの皆さんにご参加いただき誠にありがとうございました。
日頃、出願戦略コンサルタントとして、生徒の皆さんと接している中で感じていたMBA入学審査の考え方としてぜひ押さえてほしいと思う点を中心に説明させていただきました。

連休中のセミナーでしたので、ご都合のつかなかった方もいらっしゃると思いますので、本日はセミナーのポイントを解説させていただきたいと思います。

なお、当日のセミナースライドの概要は以下でご覧いただけます。
（セミナー内でご紹介させていただいた個々の事例については割愛させていただいております。セミナーのテーマであるA Holistic MBA Application Evaluationはデータだけでは説明が難しいため、あらかじめご了承ください。自分の状況に合わせた具体的なアクションを立案にむけては、以下の個別学習計画相談にお越しいただくことをおすすめいたします。）

 

セミナーのまとめ：
・A Holistic MBA Application Evaluationとは、個々の強みをアピールすることが重要（－（弱み）を指摘するのではなく、＋（強味）を探し、その点を強化する考え方）
・各審査項目の目的を理解し（入学審査官の視点）定量面（数字で評価できる点）定性面（コミュニケーションスキルや社交性などのソフト面）の両面のアピールが必要
・入学審査では個性が重視されるため、絶対的な合格のルール（こうすれば合格する）というものはない　つまり、自分の強みを最大化することが最大の戦略となる

Next Actions:
Reality checkを行うこと（あなたの強み/弱みを認識すること）
現状の強み/弱みに基づき、MBA留学準備プランを立てること
そのプランの妥当性を検証する

無料個別留学相談を活用ください！
皆さんの状況に合わせたMBA留学準備プラン立案をアゴスの留学アドバイザーがサポートさせていただきます。
http://www.agos.co.jp/information/soudan.html

Chizuko Okada

大学院奨学金獲得を目指す方へ　合格を勝ち取るための準備プランについて

本日は、奨学金の合格を勝ち取るための準備プランについて説明いたします。
高い競争率を勝ち抜き、奨学金財団の求める人材であること、将来の成功の可能性を証明するためには、十分な準備時間と計画的なアプローチが欠かせません。
今回は、アメリカ留学を目指す方が意識するフルブライト奨学金を例に説明します。

◇フルブライト奨学金応募スケジュール
https://www.fulbright.jp/scholarship/application/schedule.html

こちらを、大学院出願準備スケジュールに組み込んでみます
締め切りを落とし込むと以下①のようです。しかし、このプランには奨学金審査に合格するための必要書類を意識した準備時間が加味されていません。

応募書類をよく読んでみると、実は、以下②のプランでないと現実的でないことがわかります。
つまり、奨学金応募は、大学院プログラムに出願するのとほぼ同じ時間を要することになります。
7月末の出願時に求められる書類は以下となります（最新情報は必ず財団に確認ください）

-経歴書（CV/Resume）(英語/日本語)
-研究計画書（Research objective）
-Personal Statement(英語/日本語)
-推薦状3通（英語）
-志望校リスト
-TOEFLiBT80点以上/IELTS 6.0以上のスコア

これらを考慮すると以下の準備プランが必要になります

注意事項を記します。
-志望校リスト：7月末に研究テーマに見合った大学院プログラム選定を行い、かつ、合格の可能性を示すためには、実は、志望校合格にむけたスコアメイクは7月末の時点でほぼ完了していることが求められるのです（少なくともTOLEFL/IELTSについては）
-応募書類作成： 7月末に質の高い応募書類を用意するためには、少なくとも3か月程度は時間をかけて、研究テーマの明確化、最適な大学院プログラム選定（上述）、適切な推薦者選定とその依頼、そして応募書類作成が求められます。ということは、予備審査（一次審査）通過を目指すのではなく、最初から7月末の書類締切を目指した準備が必要になります。

→つまり、本気で奨学金を獲得したい方は4月から、奨学金応募と大学院出願の準備の本格開始が必要になります。

具体的な準備計画の詳細を知りたい方、合格するための書類作成の方法を知りたい方は、ぜひ【大学院留学を目指す方対象】奨学金書類対策セミナーにお越しください

Chizuko Okada

大学院奨学金獲得を目指す方へ　主な奨学金リサーチ方法のご案内

奨学金獲得のメリットは、留学資金の負担の軽減だけではなく、奨学金団体を通じた留学中/帰国後のネットワークの拡大、奨学生に選抜されたという実績が大学院入学審査へのアピールにつながるなど、様々なメリットを享受できます。

奨学金獲得において重要なことは以下です。
-大学院留学奨学金の種類、各奨学金の目的を理解し、自身にあった奨学金を選択すること
-奨学金申請と大学院留学準備の両方を理解した、準備計画の立案とその実行
-奨学金応募条件を理解し、各書類への正しいアプローチの理解とその実践

本日は主な奨学金リサーチに便利なサイトを紹介いたします

日本学生支援機構（JASSO）
海外留学奨学金検索サイト
https://ryugaku.jasso.go.jp/form/search.php?f=scholarship_abroad.html

日米教育委員会（US留学を目指す方）
日本国内で公募されているアメリカ留学を対象とした奨学金制度の一覧
https://www.fulbright.jp/study/directory/shokin.html

Education USA
各学校別の奨学金情報が随時発信されています
https://educationusa.state.gov/find-financial-aid?field_scholarship_degree_levels_tid=17&field_us_state_territory_tid=All&field_country_target_id=&undefined=Search

British Council
イギリスに留学に関する奨学金情報
https://www.britishcouncil.jp/studyuk/planning/scholarships-financial-support

Chizuko Okada

2018-19 Essay Changes

There were a number of application changes among the top business schools in the 2018-2019 MBA application season. MIT required an organizational chart; other top programs such as Wharton, Booth and Cornell also changed some of their essay prompts towards behavioral questions. These types of questions prompt applicants to demonstrate self-reflection, which serves to clarify why the next chapter in your life (which is the MBA experience) is so important. 

Wharton asks the question – “Describe an impactful experience or accomplishment that is not reflected elsewhere in your application. How will you use what you learned through that experience to contribute to the Wharton community?”

Booth’s application in the past have often included an unorthodox question like pick a picture out of six and explain why it resonates with you. This year’s essay set included the prompt – “Chicago Booth immerses you in a choice-rich environment. How have your interests, leadership experiences, and other passions influenced the choices in your life?”

Cornell Johnson’s new “Back of Your Resume” essay emphasizes that the Admission Committee wants to know you beyond your track record. In fact, Cornell states, “The front page of your resume has given us a sense of your professional experience and accomplishments as well as your academic summary and extracurricular involvement. If the back page reflects “the rest of your story,” please help us get to know you better by sharing the experiences that will give us insight into your character, values, and interests.” 

In posing these questions, the Admissions Committee provides opportunities for the applicant to reveal and share more than just his or her job. It provides an opportunity to articulate the events and experiences that have shaped your decisions and identity and how you will impact the community you hope to join. It is difficult to predict what to expect in the 2019-2020 MBA application essay sets but emphasis on self-reflection, on articulating why the MBA chapter is important is likely to continue.

Jumet

A Hidden Gem for Resume Writing

A Hidden Gem for Resume Writing

There are many excellent on and offline resources that guide you through the art of resume writing. No doubt you will utilize many of these to help develop ideas and draft your resume.

But in searching for “how to craft a winning resume” you may have overlooked one key resource that could provide you with that extra edge in targeting your desired degree program.

The online professional network, LinkedIn, is a hidden in plain sight gem for resume writing.

First, you can browse a countless number of resumes. Try this: Place yourself in the position of an Admissions Officer and look through several resumes for 60 seconds each. After, you will have a better idea of which ones leave an impression and those that are forgettable.

Second, you can direct your search to find some of the online profiles of students and alumni from the universities that you are applying to. Frequently, you will find that their resumes have been copied to their LinkedIn profile. Use this as a reference to gain a better understanding of what a successful applicant’s resume could potentially look like.

Finally, this experience of resume and profile viewing is a valuable opportunity to consider whether that specific program’s community is for you, or what you could bring to the table.

With all that being said, don’t forget to be youin both style and content! As with any other resource, use LinkedIn as a reference and not a template. The university doesn’t want a carbon copy of their exiting study body; they want the unique contribution that only you can provide. LinkedIn is an excellent resource to help package and present the best you.

 Warren

The Optional Essay

The OPTIONAL Essay – Should I write the optional essay? Do I need to write the optional essay?

 

The MBA application will almost always provide MBA hopefuls with the “Optional Essay” and many applicants often struggle with whether this essay is truly optional.  While some programs clearly state that this essay should be used to address extenuating circumstances, others ask whether there is anything else about your candidacy you would like to share with the admissions committee.  Given this prompt, many applicants are tempted to write something.

As a general rule, the optional essay is the last essay that should be written and should be viewed in the context of the whole application. Once the application has been completed, ask yourself if there is something else that you want to convey to the admissions committee that could not be addressed in any other part of the application.

The topics that can be considered in the optional essay are academic weakness, gaps (employment and academic) and major career changes, choice of recommender and information that adds to your application.  It is this “information that adds to your application” that tempts applicants to write the optional essay.

 

ACADEMIC WEAKNESS

The admissions committee may want to know reasons for a C grade or below in the transcript or a weak GMAT. Do not make excuses; instead emphasize improved performance in later university years or in subsequent classes. If you have a new GMAT score, it can be used to demonstrate that the low grade in college was an outlier and not an accurate indication of your abilities.

 

CAREER GAPS and CHANGES

A several month gap between jobs should be addressed. Did you take the time off to care for an ailing parent? Did you attend school or training programs while you were not employed?  If you recently switched careers, you may want to show that it was a well thought through decision and how the MBA program will help you achieve the next career step.

 

CHOICE OF RECOMMENDER

Business schools typically will ask that a letter of recommendation be written by a current manager because this person is the person is best able to comment on your abilities and skills as they are today. However, not every applicant feels comfortable asking their current supervisor. Reasons vary but it can be due to personality conflict or perhaps they aren’t ready to let their managers know that they might be leaving. Whatever the reason, it should be addressed so that the admissions committee to eliminate doubts about the working relationship with your employer.

 

INFORMATION THAT ADDS TO YOUR APPLICATION does not mean you have to write something. The worst thing you can do is to re-write an essay for another programs that repackages your strengths. By writing this essay, you are asking the admissions committee to do even more work so make sure the content has not been addressed anywhere else in the application package.

Jumet

Interview Preparation 3: The Admissions Perspective

We’re lucky at Agos to have staff with all sorts of experience. In particular, one of our Admissions Consultants, Mengdan Chu, used to work on the other side of the application, as a member of the Admissions Team at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. Whilst her views are entirely personal, it can be invaluable to get some insight into the interview from someone who conducted many of them!

 

  • Can you give us a brief perspective on what role the interview plays in the entire application evaluation?

The interview is an important piece of the puzzle. It may tip the weight toward your favor, or break the deal in some cases. Most would say that the interview is an additional perspective on you, or an independent evaluation of your candidacy when the interviewer only gets to see your resume, not your entire application. So, the interview is an additional voice about your application, and an up-close, personal view of you, more dynamic and revealing than just your essays and recommendations on paper.  The purpose is to get to know you as a person face-to-face, to get a sense of your fit with the school and the class. Of course, it is also an opportunity to assess your English communication skills, and certainly your overall qualifications such as your experiences and skills, you focus and your goals, your personality and your fit with the program.

 

 

  • Considering how many interviews you’ve conducted, which candidates were most memorable and why?

The candidates that I remember are the ones who shared with me a unique story, or the ones who convinced me with their focus and plans, who have done thorough research about the program and their fit. The latter is the kind that I can see him/her in class contributing and making the most out of his/her MBA experience. And someone with a unique story can add unique perspectives to the class and to the overall educational experiences of his/her peers.

 

 

  • Do you have any tips on how to stand out in the interview?

Most candidates or interviewees are reasonably accomplished possessing considerable skills, both hard and soft, to be successful in the program. In that sense, your professional accomplishments can be viewed more as an equalizer to other candidates. For example, the $100 million deal that you sealed is just a $100 million deal. It does not make you stand out by itself. You need to rise above it, or dig down deeper shall we say, to get across the meanings of that deal, the lessons you learned from the process and from the people that you got to know in that process. If you reflect on that and share with the interviewer, you are then effectively sharing a personal story, not some glamourous numbers. It demonstrates your maturity, awareness and thoughtfulness, indications of more potential or further capacity to grow and improve as a person and as a leader. So I would say let your personality shine through the interview, be reflective, thoughtful and passionate. If you leave the interviewer the impression of a vivid person, not just another fairly accomplished applicant, you would more likely stand out among the five or even ten people the interviewer has met for the day.

 

 

  • What kind of ‘red flags’ do you commonly see in interviews?

People who are not prepared, can not answer questions about why MBA why this program, or are just giving very generic and superficial answers. There’s really no excuse for not preparing well. The interviewer would think you might not be serious about the program and he/she would not be thrilled either.

 

 

  • How do you advise potential interviewees to prepare?

Take the time to reflect on your past and design your future, make sure the MBA program/experience connects in between.  You really need the time to lay out the basic blocks first, such as why MBA, why this school, why you, and a few (not just one or two) examples to draw from and illustrate your skills and perspectives on key parameters such as teamwork, leadership, conflict resolution, creativity, perseverance, etc. It might not be a bad idea to write down some key bullet points to help you frame/structure your answers and your stories. AGOS consultants can help coach you how to answer questions in a structured way, providing key details while staying concise and to the point. Overall, lots of practices will pay off, even if you’re a native English speaker. No one is born to be magic story tellers, we all practice and learn.

 

Mengdan

 

 

The Video Essay

Not too long ago, having one’s picture taken was not an everyday occurrence. Camera-phones were still new and photographs were grainy, low-resonance images, and digital cameras didn’t fit in jeans pockets. Facebook, Flickr, and Instagram had yet to be invented. Today, many of us have become more or less comfortable in front of a camera. As such, video essays have become a more common part of MBA applications, and are now considered as fairly straightforward.

The MBA video essay requirement is the current trend and brings together the aspects of live interviews and written essays with the added pressure of time constraints, technology concerns and the most challenging of all, a complete lack of facial cues and real-time feedback. In the video interview, you have no idea if your response resonates with the audience. There is no opportunity to see if your interviewer’s eyes are glazing over and you are on the wrong track or if his/her eyes are lighting up and you have found a point of connection.

However, as with any challenge comes opportunities; it can give the candidate another medium to express themselves. The key to successfully managing the video essay is to PRACTICE. Tape yourself responding to questions. MBA programs that use video essays have sample questions on their website. Other questions that you can use to practice are:

  • How would your teammates describe you?
  • Who has had the greatest impact on you and why?
  • What is your favorite book and why?
  • If you have a day to do whatever you want, what would it be and why?
  • What are you most passionate about?
  • Why are you a great fit for this school?

Practice responding to questions is critical. As you practice, make sure that no sound can be heard other than your responses. Try to sound as natural as possible, and your non-verbal expressions should be consistent with what you would expect of yourself in a live interview. Finally, make sure that your responses are consistent with the narrative in your MBA application, connecting them with the wider themes explored in the essays.

Show your recording to someone you can trust and who understands the application process. Ask them for honest feedback and try to fine-tune your responses with every iteration.

Jumet

 

 

 

 

Standing Out at Admissions Events

 

How to ask good questions at school fairs and information sessions?

As someone who once stood by a school table/booth or a podium answering all sorts of questions from applicants, I can’t help asking myself:  So do I remember any of those questions, any of those names or faces?

The purpose of those fairs and info sessions is to help the school staff and prospective students to get to know each other face to face, at a personal level. While there’s plenty to say about how much a prospective student might get to know the school and its people, including staff, alumni and perhaps even a couple of current students, how much the school staff or school representative might get to know a certain prospective student, remains dubious in most circumstances.

The good news is that, the outcome of such an encounter depends mostly on you, the prospective student or applicant. Yes, you do go to those events to listen and to ask questions about the school. However, depending on the quality of your questions, there’s also a fantastic opportunity for you to help the school staff remember you, in a positive way, which could go a long way for your application when it comes to be assessed.

So why did I barely remember any of the questions, or faces or names that matched the faces at a fair or an info session? I typically came back to my office with a stack of business cards and another stack of resumes, most if not all of which were recycled. It was a one-way communication, me to you, but rarely both ways, you and me, you to me. My suggestions for avoiding such a lost opportunity are:

  1. Do not walk up to me with a straight face, with the look of a serious professional from an office meeting, even though you are legitimately tired after a long day of work. Remember I might have just arrived in Tokyo the night before and I’m really tired, too and jet lagged. Your relaxed, smiling face refreshes me in this pretty loud and busy hall.
  1. Do not simply hand me your business card and your resume right away. I actually do not collect those papers and I’m accepting the ones from those ahead of you mainly as a courtesy. Say hello to me, chat and genuinely ask how I’m doing today. Give me positive feedback if I just gave a presentation by the way. Appreciation goes both ways.
  1. Do not ask generic simple questions, questions that you can find the answer to on the school’s website, such as what the ratio of international students is, or whether the school has a Japan Club. Unfortunately, lots of prospective students do ask those “dumb” questions. You don’t want to be among one of them, which guarantees a one-way communication.
  1. Moreover, do not ask me super “intelligent” questions either, questions that I would struggle to answer as well, such as what the future strategy of the school is, or how the school plans on improving its leadership program. There are always one or two people who appear intent on outsmarting the school representative. Remember it’s supposed to be a two-way communication, not a competition. I wouldn’t remember you, and if I do, it’s less likely to be in the way you want.
  1. So, ask questions that are specific, that demonstrate your research and understanding of the school and its program, and that even better, tie in your interest with the specifics of the school and program. Share your interest, succinctly, with me, and help me see how it is interesting to me and my school. If you do that, chances are I will look at your business card and resume afterwards, and remember you as one of the few outstanding/interesting prospectives that I have met on the road.

Parting message: The key is to do research before you go to any event, ask any questions. Once you’ve done your research and come up with your specific interesting/relevant questions, approach the school representative in a very friendly manner. Go for it.

Mengdan

HINTS for successfully writing the MBA essays

The business school application process can be an intimidating process with competition particularly fierce at top business schools. In general, candidates are screened based on the following;

  1. GPA and GMAT scores
  2. Personal attributes. Prior to being invited to an interview, the applicant’s “fit” with a particular program is assessed based on his/her essays and recommendation letters.  Invariably, the essays and reference letters collectively must draw attention to the skills and characteristics that business programs seek including maturity, motivation, strong work ethic and solid communication skills. A great essay will provide color to your performance and potential.

To write a strong essay, you need to understand your audience. It is imperative that you understand what the Admissions Committee is looking for.  From your admission essays, the Committee hope to better understand the following relative to other candidates:

  1. Depth of your academic and professional experiences
  2. Unique traits and interests that are not covered in other parts of the application
  3. Your commitment to the MBA program

Writing Hints:

In your essay, be passionate and sincere. Show Admissions Committee who you are and what you will bring to the program. Some hints are:

Do’s:

  1. Answer the question being asked. Many candidates gets lost as they write their essays. Instead of focusing on the question being asked, he/she rambles on and on without focus. Always come back to the question.
  2. Convey positivity and optimism.  A typical essay question is “Write about an experience that has shaped your personality.” Very often, applicants write about an unfortunate event and writes from a perspective of being the victim. AVOID this perspective. Instead, focus on what you have learned from the experience.
  3. Use active voice. Be clear and use simple sentence structure. Often, essays have word limit and every word has to count.

Don’ts:

  1. Resist the urge to describe. Applicants often spend the better part of the essay tediously describing an experience or event. The description is only a part of the essay. Demonstrate what you have learned including perseverance, stamina and knowledge.
  1. Don’t repeat information that can be found in other parts of your application. The essays are your opportunity to demonstrate who you are. Rehashing the same information/experience only makes you one dimensional; business programs seek candidates that have depth and are multi-dimensional.
  2. Don’t try to explain weakness on your record. It is almost impossible to explain poor grades and/or test scores without sounding defensive or worse, irresponsible.  If there is a reason for an academic weakness, write in a separate short essay and avoid in the body of the essay.

As much as possible, you should craft your narrative around your achievements and experiences that have enabled you cultivate your strengths.  Use the whole essay set to “speak” to the Admissions Committee about who you are and not just disparate traits that you think the school wants to see.

Jumet